Brooks, McDonough Sponsor State Puppy Mill Ban
Originally published in
Long Island Herald
Roughly 30 people recently demonstrated outside a Bellmore pet store in support of a ban on animal sales in retail pet shops. State Sen. John Brooks and Assemblyman Dave McDonough signed on to sponsor the bills.
New York state may soon make it illegal for retail pet stores to sell animals.
State Sen. John Brooks, a Seaford Democrat, recently signed on as a co-sponsor of a bill that would ban the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in retail pet stores. On Tuesday, State Assemblyman Dave McDonough, a North Merrick Republican, pledged his support for a companion bill in the State Assembly.
The pending legislation is a response to animal rights advocates’ concerns that pet store animals, often shipped in from commercial, out-of-state breeders, are not properly examined for illnesses.
“When you go to a pet store to buy a dog or a cat, there’s an emotional connection there,” said Brooks, who represents Bellmore and Merrick. “You want to believe you’re buying a healthy animal.”
When the legislation was first introduced, Brooks said, he met with several pet store owners to hear their side. He said they touted safe pet sale practices, but those claims turned out to be “false” after a number of sick animals were seized before they could be sold.
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